(picture courtesy of The Polar Express Official Site)Um...guys?
In case anyone has missed it - we're now just five sleeps away from the Big Day.
And also - I'm once again resolved never to do Christmas shopping in December. Ever. Again. Good grief! Problems with shopping in December include (but are not limited to):
* The kids are out of school around the middle of the month and if their Daddy is working, the little dears have to come last-minute shopping with me. Always bucketloads of fun.
* PEOPLE - EVERYWHERE. What took you twelve minutes in May (picking up bread and milk at the supermarket) has now turned into a mammoth negotiation of shopping carts, frustrated people and frazzled nerves.
* December holds the monopoly on bad-spirited people. Everyone walks around with a scowl because K-mart can't figure out how to order in enough stock to cover their super-dooper-60%-off-no-raincheck sale week. Not that I'd know anything about that, of course.
* You're constantly having to slam on the cart brakes when the folks in front of you decide to have an immediate conversation in the middle of the aisle which is already narrowed because stores like to further alienate people by putting up displays within the aisles themselves. And then, of course, the cart behind you slams into your ankles. And then the cart behind them does the same. And then before you know it you're boxed in and the fools in front of you are still oblivious until in sheer frustration you finally have to tap one of them on the shoulder and ask politely through (inwardly) gritted teeth for them to move to the side of the aisle. And then they look at you like you've just requested a kidney donation.
* With the higher traffic, public restrooms are higher than average disgusting. Also, I'm constantly amazed at the state of some women's toilets in a large and modern shopping centre near where I live. You think men are gross? At least they stand up to pee, thus probably avoiding 90% of the use of the stalls themselves. I watched in disbelief today as one woman - uhh, let's just say she needed to use the stall for the other 10% of reasons - purposely didn't flush, didn't wash her hands, and (ick, ick, ick) left a 'present' for the next unsuspecting soul on top of the sanitary bin instead of lifting the handle to put it inside. I stopped my mouth before it hit the floor, mostly because I couldn't be sure I wouldn't catch anything from the floor itself. I had the kids with me today as well - one had already used a different cubicle, but I whisked the other two away to the parents' room with its nice sofa and spotless counters and didn't even feel guilty that I no longer need to use the baby changing facilities. You know how men always seem perplexed as to why it takes a woman so long to go to the toilet in a public restroom? It's because we are so petrified of plonking our katush down on someone else's germs we do that whole yoga-pose-like squat. Or the origami-toilet-paper-seat-cover thing. And that takes us some skills! Not to mention the half gallon of liquid soap we use when we're done. Or is that just me?
* The seriously-inflated commercialism of the season is starting to bother me in my old age (ie, 28, LOL) I've overheard so many conversations these last few weeks that could best be described as Mum and Dad catering to the whims of yet another spoiled child. Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect in this regard either - I do like to spoil the kids a little - but there's a world of difference between what I'm witnessing this week and an extra Barbie doll outfit, you know? And I have to rethink Miss Moo's birthday a little. Do you think she'd notice if we switched it to August? LOL. Between her birthday yesterday and the spending of her birthday money today, she walked away with more toys than I even dreamed about at her age and to be honest, it has made me a little uncomfortable. We'll be approaching this differently next year. Today, for example, she took her accumulated $30 birthday money and $10 she'd saved in pocket money, and bought a Cabbage Patch twin babies set at half price. It was a really good deal for that and I guess I'd rather she spent her money on baby dolls rather than Those Dolls That Shall Not Be Named, but still. And it isn't over yet - the gifts will keep on rolling on Tuesday. Must fix this - it's excessive, I think, but I wonder whether it's always going to seem so with her birthday being less than a week before Christmas Day. I don't want her to miss out on two separate special days (Hubs, with a Dec 3 birthday, felt the 'sting' of having combined presents growing up and hated it - refuses to do it for Miss Moo).
Another thing I noticed with Miss Moo's gifts this year - we stuck to a budget, same as we do every year - all the kids get the same amount - $100 for Christmas (if that seems excessive, it's actually much lower than our friends tell us they spend and probably half that is spent on practical stuff like clothes and books - it all adds up) and $60 for their birthdays. I just ended up with some spectacular mid-year and end-of-year deals this year. I think I'm going to give myself permission next year to buy according to perceived value instead of actual value - by that I mean, if the gift looks like I spent $30 on it but I managed to pick it up for only $10, then I should count myself lucky I saved some cash and not feel compelled to 'spend up to the budget'. Because without the sales, Miss Moo's birthday and Christmas gifts were more in the realm of $250 value instead of the $160 we allow. And that's just wrong.
Back to my list...
* December, unfortunately does not contain an infinite number of days. At some point you'll realise (if you're crazy and have left some/all of your shopping until December) that you're fast running out of time and you end up making sloppy and suspect shopping decisions that will probably end up in someone's regifting drawer as soon as your back is turned. Retailers LOVE folk like this on Christmas Eve. My brother once gave my then 2yo non-swimming son a snorkel and flipper set because he went shopping at the last minute. 'Nuff said.
* You can never get a park, no matter where you go or how early you turn up. Even the food court tables are packed by 10:30 so you have to resort to eating 'lunch' at 10:00.
* And please - spare a thought for the poor parents who will have to put up with endless, repetitive electronic sounds that you thought were so cute in the store, especially considering you were buying them for Someone. Else's. Kids. Leave the electronics up to the parents! Aunts and Uncles should restrict themselves to books, clothes and money :P
December should be a relaxing, quiet month. Kickin' back with a cold/warm drink (depending on where you are in the world) and an old time Christmas movie, munching on your own family's special Christmas cookies and sleepy children trying desperately to stay awake as long as possible. Carrots and oats for the reindeer, a few extra cookies and some scotch for Santa (hey, he likes to mix it up a bit!) and a nice, long snooze before the piglets wake you up at dawn o'clock TELLING. YOU. THAT. SANTA. CAME. LAST. NIGHT!!!
I'm totally giving everyone gift certificates next year, LOL.
Cheers,
Lizzie
In case anyone has missed it - we're now just five sleeps away from the Big Day.
And also - I'm once again resolved never to do Christmas shopping in December. Ever. Again. Good grief! Problems with shopping in December include (but are not limited to):
* The kids are out of school around the middle of the month and if their Daddy is working, the little dears have to come last-minute shopping with me. Always bucketloads of fun.
* PEOPLE - EVERYWHERE. What took you twelve minutes in May (picking up bread and milk at the supermarket) has now turned into a mammoth negotiation of shopping carts, frustrated people and frazzled nerves.
* December holds the monopoly on bad-spirited people. Everyone walks around with a scowl because K-mart can't figure out how to order in enough stock to cover their super-dooper-60%-off-no-raincheck sale week. Not that I'd know anything about that, of course.
* You're constantly having to slam on the cart brakes when the folks in front of you decide to have an immediate conversation in the middle of the aisle which is already narrowed because stores like to further alienate people by putting up displays within the aisles themselves. And then, of course, the cart behind you slams into your ankles. And then the cart behind them does the same. And then before you know it you're boxed in and the fools in front of you are still oblivious until in sheer frustration you finally have to tap one of them on the shoulder and ask politely through (inwardly) gritted teeth for them to move to the side of the aisle. And then they look at you like you've just requested a kidney donation.
* With the higher traffic, public restrooms are higher than average disgusting. Also, I'm constantly amazed at the state of some women's toilets in a large and modern shopping centre near where I live. You think men are gross? At least they stand up to pee, thus probably avoiding 90% of the use of the stalls themselves. I watched in disbelief today as one woman - uhh, let's just say she needed to use the stall for the other 10% of reasons - purposely didn't flush, didn't wash her hands, and (ick, ick, ick) left a 'present' for the next unsuspecting soul on top of the sanitary bin instead of lifting the handle to put it inside. I stopped my mouth before it hit the floor, mostly because I couldn't be sure I wouldn't catch anything from the floor itself. I had the kids with me today as well - one had already used a different cubicle, but I whisked the other two away to the parents' room with its nice sofa and spotless counters and didn't even feel guilty that I no longer need to use the baby changing facilities. You know how men always seem perplexed as to why it takes a woman so long to go to the toilet in a public restroom? It's because we are so petrified of plonking our katush down on someone else's germs we do that whole yoga-pose-like squat. Or the origami-toilet-paper-seat-cover thing. And that takes us some skills! Not to mention the half gallon of liquid soap we use when we're done. Or is that just me?
* The seriously-inflated commercialism of the season is starting to bother me in my old age (ie, 28, LOL) I've overheard so many conversations these last few weeks that could best be described as Mum and Dad catering to the whims of yet another spoiled child. Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect in this regard either - I do like to spoil the kids a little - but there's a world of difference between what I'm witnessing this week and an extra Barbie doll outfit, you know? And I have to rethink Miss Moo's birthday a little. Do you think she'd notice if we switched it to August? LOL. Between her birthday yesterday and the spending of her birthday money today, she walked away with more toys than I even dreamed about at her age and to be honest, it has made me a little uncomfortable. We'll be approaching this differently next year. Today, for example, she took her accumulated $30 birthday money and $10 she'd saved in pocket money, and bought a Cabbage Patch twin babies set at half price. It was a really good deal for that and I guess I'd rather she spent her money on baby dolls rather than Those Dolls That Shall Not Be Named, but still. And it isn't over yet - the gifts will keep on rolling on Tuesday. Must fix this - it's excessive, I think, but I wonder whether it's always going to seem so with her birthday being less than a week before Christmas Day. I don't want her to miss out on two separate special days (Hubs, with a Dec 3 birthday, felt the 'sting' of having combined presents growing up and hated it - refuses to do it for Miss Moo).
Another thing I noticed with Miss Moo's gifts this year - we stuck to a budget, same as we do every year - all the kids get the same amount - $100 for Christmas (if that seems excessive, it's actually much lower than our friends tell us they spend and probably half that is spent on practical stuff like clothes and books - it all adds up) and $60 for their birthdays. I just ended up with some spectacular mid-year and end-of-year deals this year. I think I'm going to give myself permission next year to buy according to perceived value instead of actual value - by that I mean, if the gift looks like I spent $30 on it but I managed to pick it up for only $10, then I should count myself lucky I saved some cash and not feel compelled to 'spend up to the budget'. Because without the sales, Miss Moo's birthday and Christmas gifts were more in the realm of $250 value instead of the $160 we allow. And that's just wrong.
Back to my list...
* December, unfortunately does not contain an infinite number of days. At some point you'll realise (if you're crazy and have left some/all of your shopping until December) that you're fast running out of time and you end up making sloppy and suspect shopping decisions that will probably end up in someone's regifting drawer as soon as your back is turned. Retailers LOVE folk like this on Christmas Eve. My brother once gave my then 2yo non-swimming son a snorkel and flipper set because he went shopping at the last minute. 'Nuff said.
* You can never get a park, no matter where you go or how early you turn up. Even the food court tables are packed by 10:30 so you have to resort to eating 'lunch' at 10:00.
* And please - spare a thought for the poor parents who will have to put up with endless, repetitive electronic sounds that you thought were so cute in the store, especially considering you were buying them for Someone. Else's. Kids. Leave the electronics up to the parents! Aunts and Uncles should restrict themselves to books, clothes and money :P
December should be a relaxing, quiet month. Kickin' back with a cold/warm drink (depending on where you are in the world) and an old time Christmas movie, munching on your own family's special Christmas cookies and sleepy children trying desperately to stay awake as long as possible. Carrots and oats for the reindeer, a few extra cookies and some scotch for Santa (hey, he likes to mix it up a bit!) and a nice, long snooze before the piglets wake you up at dawn o'clock TELLING. YOU. THAT. SANTA. CAME. LAST. NIGHT!!!
I'm totally giving everyone gift certificates next year, LOL.
Cheers,
Lizzie
2 comments:
Reading your post makes me glad I am done with my Christmas shopping and that my girls have their last day at school today. Though I'm lucky where I live if I get to the shops by 9am I can still park and the shops are fairly quiet.
As for your daughter - I can only imagine how hard it is having birthday and Christmas so close. I had one friend who always celebrated her daughters "half" birthday - so she'd have her party and most of her presents mid-way through the year and just a small celebration on her actual birthday. She thought it was great as she got two birthdays in a way (just one main present and a family dinner on the actual day).
I think your thoughts on the dollar value of gifts is spot on - perceived value is a much approach, even if you put the savings for a family day out or something like that. Doing it as you are now they are ending it with many more THINGS. So good you'll this post to read again next year to remind yourself of the conclusions you reached.
Libby
You're so right Libby, LOL.
I was starting to panic over what was left of my shopping list - we are travelling for Christmas this year and leave Sunday, so I really only have today and tomorrow to finalise all shopping and the stress was rising :P Then when I went back over my list, I realised I was in a much better position than I thought. Just a few things to chase up tomorrow and I'm done. I'm glad in a way that we'll be out of town from the 23rd. I know once we hit the inlaws place life will slow down to a much more manageable speed and we can just simply 'be' for a few days :)
Cheers,
Lizzie
Post a Comment